Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1881 — DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCES. [ARTICLE]

DOUBTFUL ACQUAINTANCES.

“It is very remarkable,” said my uncle, as Mr. Gregory left the room. “It is very mysterious,” said Lily, with strong emphasis on the adverb. “Tome,” observed an elderly lady boarder, “it appears to be something worse than mysterious; and, without making any assertions, I would at least caution you, my dear, against any closer intimacy with one who seems so often to be possessed of information in a manner of which there is no conceivable natural explanation.” “It reminds me most,” said the Rev. Mr. Briggs, “of cortain cases, undoubtedly well authenticated, in which the existence of the so-called * second sight ’ has been demonstrated in a very singular manner.” “And,” added my uncle, “although many of the professors of Spiritualism have been proved impostors, it by no means follows that all ” “ Yes, yes,” broke in our lady friend, “ but we all know that people once had dealings with familiar spirits, and I never could find any proof that this kind of thing has ever ceased, and therefore, as I said before, I very strongly caution you " “ Hush !” cried several voices. “ Here lie comes.” My uncle, my Cousin Lily and I were staying at a bortrding-house at the seaside, and among a somewhat numerous company was a certain Mr. Gregory. We liad made liis acquaintance on the night of our arrival in a rather comical manner. He was passing our room just as Lily was calling to me in a tone of wot'ul despair that she had broken the key in the lock and could not get out. Through the key-hole he had volunteered his services as an amateur lock-picker, and released us from our imprisonment. ThL introduction had served quite as well as a much more formal one would have doue to inaugurate what promised to be a pleasant seaside acquaintance. Nmv on first sight he certainly present- <'< very little appearance of being a suspicious or dangerous character. He was a young man of some 25 years of age, with a bright, frank expression and a gleam of mischief in his eyes. He was exceedingly intelligent and well informed, and, though rather retiring in the mixed company of our establishment, could, we discovered, sing well, read well and talk well. Without intruding himself upon us, he had made himself very agreeable to us two girls ; and we had surmised that ne was a young professional man suffering from over-work, who had come down to recruit his health. But we are often warned against judging from appearances, and he had during the past few days manifested a very remarkable power of clairvoyance or second sight, or whatever else you like to call it, which had created a great sensation among us. On the previous day, for instance, my uncle had met a gentleman at the' station and had brought him home to dinner. We saw them walking slowly up the garden together in conversation, and Lilv had exclaimed : “ Who on earth is this ?” Mr. Gregory looked and said ? “ His name is Smith, and he is returning to town by the midnight train. ” “ You know him ?” “Never saw him in my life before,” was the answer.

Sure enough his name proved to be Smith, and he returned to' town that night after a long private interview with my uncle ; nor had he, lie told us in answer to our inquiries, ever seen or heard of Mr. Gregory before. On Saturday morning, also, the Rev. Mr. Briggs, taking a walk on the beach, meditating on his Sunday text, had encountered Mr. Gregory, who volunteered information as to the said text, %ith chapter and verse all correct, to the petrifaction of the reverend gentleman. On another occasion, when our elderly lady friend mentioned that she had been out making a small purchase, Mr. Gregory informed us sotto voce that a bottle of liairwash constituted the purchase in question. Thi < communication was very unfortunately overheard. Its correctness was not at the time definitely established, but it was shortly after this that she first propounded her own particular theory on the subject, which she put forward with renewed confidence in the conversation given above, after a fresh display of the unholy phenomenon as she called it. This was the occasion thereof. Mr. Briggs had been seen, coming up the walk in great glee with a parcel imder his arm. “What has he got’there?” said some one. “ All the works of Josephus for tenpence,” replied Mr. Gregory. Immediately afterward Mr. Briggs entered the room and said to the company : “ What do you think I have just bought?” to which the general response was : “ All Josephus for tenpence.” it turned out that he had just ferreted it out from a second-hand bookstall. When questioned about his mysterious powers, Mr. Gregory, always became very serious, and gave go information,

but changed the subject as soon as possible. In consequence of all this, interest, ourioeity, uneasiness, and even alarm, were in varying degrees excited in the breasts of the several members of out company. Most of the ladies declared that they were daily expecting something serious to happen. That those expectations were not altogether unfulfilled will now be made plain. There were two new arrivals on the day on which our story opens. Our company had hitherto been pleasant and select, bnt the lady and gentleman whe now came among ns, and who were named Mr. and Bus. Grice, were executions to this. Showily dressed, and loud in their conversation, they made great efforts to mix with ease in our company, and for some inscrutable reason seemed to make special endeavors to become intimate with our own party; Mr. Grice attacking my uncle, and lus wife devoting herself to ns. We were at no pains to conceal our aversion to their ill-mannered and offensive intrusion, but they seemed determined to accept no rebuff. Lily said that we had met here the most pleasant and the most unpleasant persons whom we had ever seen in our travels. The former class, I presume, mainly embraced Blr. Gregory. Ever since Mr. Smith's visit on the previous day, my uncle had seemed to be unusually worried and anxious. Something had happened at the office, it appeared, which caused him very great uneasiness, and he kept a constant watch for the post Lily and I were troubled about it, but were hardly prepared for his sudden announcement at lunch next day, upon receiving a letter from town, that we must pack up at once and return by the first morning train.

We had no objection to escape from the Grices, but, in spite of Mr. Gregory’s ill-repute for his mysterious arts, we were very sorry to leave liiin, to say nothing of the abrupt and unexpected termination of our holiday. The Grices were sitting next to us when my uncle made this announcement, and I saw a peculiar took of signilicauce pass between them. Blr. Gregory was sitting at the other end of a long dining-table, and quite out of ear-shot, but he came up immediately after we rose from the table, and said: “A very sad thing, this sudden departure of yours! ” “Mr. Gregory,” I replied, “yon are perhaps aware that you are under grave suspicions of being in league with the powers of darkness, and this is another proof. How could you possibly know?” “ Oli, ill news travels fast,” he said, laughing. “But it is a very hot afternoon, what do you say to a little reading ? ” Lily here squeezed my arm vigorously, but I answered, “I fear my uncle will not let us go out of his sight. He feels it his duty to keep special guard over us while we are in such dangerous company.” “ Never mind,” he said, “I will read to him as well. ” We were now in the corner of the drawing-room, near a window looking out on to a covered balcony which overlooked the garden. Bly uncle came up and returned Blr. Gregory’s courteous greeting in a manner which was, I fear, not very gracious.

‘ ‘ Blay I trouble you for the paper after you, sir ? ” he said. “Certainly,” was the answer. “But may we not enjoy it all together? With your permission I will read aloud to the company.” Bly uncle looked considerably astonished at this unusual proposal. Lily looked up with open eyes and curious expression, this being not exactly the kind of reading she had intended. But the offer was seriously made and repeated, and my uncle, who dearly liked being read to, gave a dubious consent. Bliss Lily, with filial affection, made him particularly comfortable in an armchair, and Blr. Gregory commenced reading a long, prosy article on French polities. He read with anything but his usual spirit, and in a soft, low, monotonous voice. The oonsequence was—as had possibly been not wholly unforeseen —that my uncle was soon enjoying his accustomed afternoon siesta. The reading, having become gradually slower and softer, now ceased, and the reader, looking up, suggested by a slight gesture an adjournment to the garden. Lily and I tried to smother our laughter and look shocked, but we adopted the suggestion. A book of poetry was quickly produced, and I found that there is a difference between hearing French politics read in a stuffy drawingroom to a middle-aged gentleman, and hearing “ Enoch Arden ” read in a cool, shady alcove, to a pretty, dark-eyed, lovable maiden, with tender bosom heaving in sympathy with poor Enoch’s sorrows, especially when the reader is a handsome young bachelor, with an ex-quisitely-modulated voice, able to do full justice to the harmonious numbers ol the Laureate. At the end of half an hour I was startled by an exclamation from Lily. Looking up, I saw in the garden below, sitting on a seat under the trees wirii their faces toward us, our dear friends, Mr. and Blrs. Grice.

The gentleman was keeping up, apparently, a desultory conversation with his wife. They waved their hands on catching our eye, and beckoned to us to come and join them, which we did not do. Mr. Gregory, instead of going on with his reading, continued to regard them intently, and asked us whether we knew them. We said, “No.” “But they seem to know you,” he said. We explained how they had favored us with their attentions. To our disappointment, he could not be induced to go on with his reading, but he continued to stare at the couple before him ; and when at last they strolled off in different directions,' he said that he must apologize for having an engagement, and he left us abruptly. “A strange young man, indeed ! ” we thought, and we were still more surprised when in about an hour he returned, and asked my uncle to be allowed a short private conversation with him. My uncle seemed startled at this request (and so, by the way, did Lily) but after a short pause he led the way into an adjoining apartment.

The conversation which ensued, as we subsequently learned, was as follows : “I am about, sir ? ” said Mr. Gregory, “ to refer to your private affairs to an extent which 11011 surprise you, but 1 hope to be able to render you a service which will be an ample excuse for my intrusion. You are. I believe, returning to town tomorrow ? ” “ Yes.” “The cause of your return is, I believe, connected with the forgery of a certain check in your name. ” “Sir, how.can you possibly know that ?” “ That check was brought to you for your inspection three days ago by one of the clerks from the bank, a Mr. Smith, and it is now in your possession.” My uncle was speechless. “Hear me further. The accuracy of my statements hitherto may claim credence for what I am about to affirm. Unless lam greatly mistaken, there are now in this establishment two persons who have been employed to regain possession, at all costs, of that forged paper. They suspect that you have it. and already your room arid your daughter and niece’s room have been searched, and it only remains to search your person.” My uncle turned pale. “It is known that you are leaving tomorrow morning, and the attempt will be made between now and then. Will you allow me to offer you my advice ?” I will not attempt to describe my respected uncle’s condition of body and mind at this part of the interview. Suffice if. to say that the proffered advice

was ultimately adopted. On that evening my uncle declined to accompany us when, an hour after dinner, the house emptied on to the promenade. Mr. Gregory also was missing, and had not appeared at dinner. The Rev. Mr. Briggs took us under his care. My uncle was already nodding in his chair as we went out. Twenty minutes afterward two of the company softly reentered the room. This I had from an eye-witness. Their names were Mr. and Mrs. Grice. Mrs. Grice stood at the door and her husband advanced gently across the floor to where my uncle back in his chair, snoring audibly, his handkerchief over his head, his coat thrown open, and a pocket-book just showing in his breast-pocket. Mr. Grice crept up to him, abstracted the book with a practiced hand, put it into his own pocket, and turned to go. Now, as he re-crossed the room, he had to pass before a large lounge, with long hangings in front, and he was, perhaps, somewhat surprised to find his ankles seized in the firm grip of a pair of hands thrust out suddenly from uuder the lounge. As he fell, his amiable partner turned round—into the arms of a detective officer. At the same moment Mr. Gregory entered through the window from the balcony. “This is your pocket-book, sir,” said one of the detectives.

“Thank you,” said my uncle. “It has nothing in it, but I am glad to have it back again.” Mr. and Mrs. Grice were removed at once to another public establishment in the neighborhood, where the company' was very select, the hours very regular, and maintenance very cheap —a style of establishment which it was subsequently proved they had frequented iu more than one part of the country. Amid considerable excitement we promenaded late that night. My uncle said : “ You have rendered me a service, sir, which lays me under the deepest obligation to you. I have no doubt that the original delinquents, of whom these creatures are only the tools, will be brought to justice. Finding that we are on their track, they have made this effort to destroy their guilt, and prevent us from submitting it to experts. Thanks to you, they nave failed. I can only say how welcome will be any opportunity of making any return to you, however slight.” “I shall certainly take you at your word, sir,” was the answer. “And now, Mr. Gregory,” continued my uncle, ‘ ‘ will you pardon our curiosity if we beg you to tell us the means by which you were able to divine the intentions of our departed friends ?” “Oh, Mr. Gregory,” cried Lily, “you must tell us. We are on thorns to know, and will do anything in the world you like to mention if you will tell us.” ‘ On those terms I consent,” said he, with a curious look at Lily, which made her suddenly blush very much, as I could seo even in the moonlight. “You may have noticed,” began Mr. Gregory, “that I am somewhat deaf, and I have been much more so. In consequence of this I have acquired the art, which I believe almost any one can acquire, of reading the movements of the lips in the same way that the deaf and dumb are taught to do, so that I can always understand what people say if only they are within seeing distance ; and my seeing is very acute. I need hardly say that I avoid over-seeing conversation, if you will allow the expression, as much as I would over-hearing it; but I frequently see people speak a few words on accidentally glancing at them. I think that what has puzzled you -will now be plain. Perhaps I ought to confess that I have yielded a little to the temptation of mystifying the company during the last week, especially in the case of Blr. Briggs, who has, like many people who have lived a good deal alone, a habit of talking to himself as he goes along, which he is scarcely aware of. This afternoon, however, I watched the Grices in good earnest. I was very much astonished at what I saw. Your sudden departure had disarranged their plans, and they had a full discussion of past and future operations. It was not at all a bad idea to hold their deliberations before your very eyes, so as to keep up their watch on your movements and disarm suspicion, but they had takeu no precautions against being overseen. The rest you know. ” “But how about the purchase of the hair-wash, that sad proof of occult art ?” I said.

“Oh, that had nothing to do with it. I was in the shop, being shaved, and I saw the transaction in a looking-glass.” Later still, when my uncle had gone in, I heard him quietly say; “So you will do whatever I like to mention?” But these words were not addressed to me, and I judged it best to fall into the rear, and, having no gifts of clairvoyance myself, I cannot tell you the rest of the conversation. I can only add that our return was postponed, and that shortly after these events Mr. Gregory again requested a private conversation with my uncle; that he had again some revelations to make concerning a conspiracy of two, male and female, in this case also ; and that shortly after the first pair of conspirators had been “sentenced for life” by one of her Majesty’s Judges, a similar sentence was pronounced upon the other pair by the Rev. Blr. Briggs.